---
title: טָרַף — tear · The Tanakh dictionary
description: טָרַף (2963), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 25 times: tear. BDB 1906: vb. tear, rend, pluck Niph. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# טָרַף

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«טָרַף» in the Tanakh dictionary: **tear** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 25 times · **Key:** 2963 · **BDB:** טָרַף

### Glosses

he.has.been.torn.to.pieces (2); surely.(tear) (2); tear (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

tear [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1496/2963/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. tear, rend, pluck Niph. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1496/2963/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. tear, rend, pluck (NH id., especially of wild beasts; Aramaic טְרַף tear, seize, especially of creditors; טְרֵיפָא torn flesh or animal; Arabic طَرَفَ depasture, said of camel)— Pf. טָרַף Jb 16:9; טָרָ֑ף Ho 6:1, etc.; Impf. יִטְרֹף ψ 7:3; וַיִּטְרֹף Am 1:11 (but v. infr.); יִטְרָ֑ף Gn 49:27; אֶטְרֹף Ho 5:14 ψ 50:22; Inf. לִטְרֹף ψ 17:12; Pt. act. טֹרֵף Jb 18:4, etc.;—tear rend, of wild beasts, Gn 37:33 (J), 44:28 (J; inf. abs. c. Pu. q.v.), Ex 22:12 (JE; inf. abs. c. Niph. q.v.) Elsewhere only in sim. and metaph.; sim. of Gad’s fierceness Dt 33:20 (like a lioness, poem); so of Benjamin Gn 49:27 (as a wolf, poem); of the remnant of Jacob, like a young lion among sheep, רָמַם וְטָרַף Mi 5:7; of the wicked, ψ 17:12 (lion), 7:3 obj. נַפְשִׁי (like a lion); 22:14 psalmist’s foes like lion (‖ שֹׁאֵג); Ez 22:25 (טֹרֵף טָ֑רֶף), princes like wolves v 27 (id.); metaph. of Israel’s princes, like young lion 19:3, 6 (c. טֶרֶף acc. cogn.); of Nineveh’s king Na 2:13 (as lion); of God’s treatment of the wicked Ho 5:14 (like a lion), ψ 50:22; subj. wrath of God (אַף) conceived as assailing Job, Jb 16:9 his wrath teareth and persecuteth me; cf. טָרָ֖ף וְיִרְפָּאֵנוּ Ho 6:1 subj. י׳ (‖ יַךְ וְיַחְבְּשֵׁנוּ; on tenses v. Dr§ 84 β; 171, 174 n. 1); subj. anger of Edom (abs.) Am 1:11, but read perhaps וַיִּטֹּר for וַיִּטְרֹף and he kept his anger perpetually, so Ol on ψ 103:9 We; טֹרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ בְּאַפּוֹ, said of Job by Bildad Jb 18:4. Impf. of animal torn (by wild beasts) טָרֹף יִטָּרֵף Ex 22:12 (JE); יִטָּרֵף also in prediction of judgment on people of Jerusalem Je 5:6. Pf. טָרֹף טֹרַף יוֹסֵף Gn 37:33 (J) Joseph has certainly been torn in pieces; cf. ט׳ טֹרָ֑ף 44:28 (J). Imv. ms. sf., note especially 2nd acc. לֶחֶם, הַטְרִיפֵנִי לֶחֶם חֻקִּי Pr 30:8 let me devour my appointed bread (of men, late; cf. טֶרֶף 31:15, and ψ 111:5 Mal 3:10).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 19 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (3 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «טָרַף» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1496/2963/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Psalms 22:14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.22.14/)

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פָּצ֣וּ עָלַ֣י פִּיהֶ֑ם אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה טֹרֵ֥ף וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃

*Word for word:* they.have.opened on me mouth their a.lion tearing and roaring

*JPS 1917:* They open wide their mouth against me, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

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[Exodus 22:12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/EXO.22.12/)

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אִם־טָרֹ֥ף יִטָּרֵ֖ף יְבִאֵ֣הוּ עֵ֑ד הַטְּרֵפָ֖ה לֹ֥א יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃פ

*Word for word:* if actually.(tear) it.will.be.torn.in.pieces he will.bring.it evidence the.torn animal not he.will.make.restitution

*JPS 1917:* If it be torn in pieces, let him bring it for witness; he shall not make good that which was torn.

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